


Let's Hurt Tonight

by Skellyagogo



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Romance, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Falling In Love, Forbidden Love, Friendship/Love, Heavy Angst, Light Angst, Love Confessions, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-15 18:14:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28817652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skellyagogo/pseuds/Skellyagogo
Summary: Summary: Heartbreak and misery are like old friends but are they?  Two souls in the night going through the same kind of grief or is it something deeper?  Are friendships ever nothing more than friendship or something hidden?Written while listening to OneRepublic's Let's Hurt Tonight.
Kudos: 6





	Let's Hurt Tonight

Tony was saddled up to the bar at some swanky new club, an empty glass turning in his hands, a glazed over look in his eyes. I could see it from where I stood watching him, trying to decipher how drunk he was and how much more of a shit show my night would be. One of his hands reached out for the half bottle of Scotch on the bar in front of him, his eyes scanned over the label like he was reading it, but he wasn't. He just needed something else to occupy his mind. He seemed to be taking his break-up with Pepper better than most of us expected, at least in public that is.

_There was a night this past week I'd found him stumbling drunk in his lab, throwing tools across the room, yelling at Dum-E. He'd been reckless on our last mission, he managed to total another suit feeling the need to sacrifice himself. The fight had gone sour, I ended up getting overrun by some Hydra agents, they dangled me over the rooftop of their base, taunting the other Avengers. When no one took the bait they dropped me, Tony came flying in out of nowhere catching me before I hit the ground. The angle he came in at was too much for him to correct and recover from, he ended up dropping me in a patch of grass while he went careening over a hillside smashing his suit in the process._

_Pepper couldn't stand the constant worry of whether or not he'd come home, the giant Ego that came with funding and created almost everything S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers used. She hated sharing him with the world and the world made sure to throw back cheating rumors and the like in her face. Paparazzi tried to snap photos of Tony out with friends claiming they were his side piece. So one night a month ago while he was out saving the world, she packed up and left, said goodbye over the phone._

_There he was in his lab, slumped on the floor broken emotionally and physically, chucking screwdrivers and wrenches at Dum-E blaming the robot for his woes. The cuts and bruises still fresh on his face, the black eye still puffy. All the work I'd done closing and cleaning the wounds gone in a drunken temper tantrum. He was too drunk to care about anything, he stared up at me blinking trying to see if I was really there. His hand reached out patting my calf._

_"Y/n... what are you... doing in my bedroom... Kitten?" He slurred his words. Why'd he always have to call me Kitten?_

_"We're in your lab, Tony. Come on, let's get you into bed, you need some sleep." It'd been all too common over the years carrying his ass to bed, putting water and Tylenol on his nightstand. Making sure the trash can was beside his bed just in case._

_"As much as I would like to, I can't, Kitten." He tried to pull away from me and lay on the floor curling up into a ball._

_"Why can't you sleep in that giant soft bed, Tony? I wish I had a bed that big and soft, it's like a cloud. I'd never get out of it." The key was talking to him softly, not demanding._

_"I just... can't okay," he muttered. I sat down behind him rubbing his back, hard pressure from my palm, sweeping circles back and forth._

_"It still smells like her doesn't it?" I asked softly, he turned his head squinting his eyes at me before he shook his head, he reached back grabbing my wrist holding tight, his thumb rubbing circles on the underside of my wrist. "Alright, I tell you what, you crash in my bed, I gotta run a recon mission with Clint. Tomorrow while you're still sleeping I'll have everything that smells like her out of your bungalow. I run through the place with those insense of mine you like."_

_When we finally reached my room, he refused to sleep in my bed._

_"You don't need people thinking something happened that didn't," he grumbled. Instead, he passed out on my couch muttering 'thanks' pulling the blanket I laid on him tightly around himself. I ruffled his hair just like I always did to annoy the hell out of him when he woke up, set water and Tylenol on the side table._

* * *

  


All of us started taking a turn coming into the city to pick up Tony when he went on his benders over the last month, tonight was my night and I would have rather been anywhere but here. I was clearly underdressed for this sort of place, but I didn't give a shit, dress codes were moronic shit created by people craving power over even the smallest detail. Tony's head shifted and turned my way watching me walk towards him, a faint smile on his lips glimpsing my Ramones t-shirt and my trademarked faded ripped jeans.

Our musical taste was enough to annoy the others, the constant record wars over whose collection was better. Our defense mechanism was even better. We both had enough sass and sarcasm to make even Fury leave the room when he saw the two of us together. I flopped down on the barstool next to him and let out a sigh.

"That time already?" He asked I expected to hear his words slurring like crazy, but he sounded sober as could be, his voice was softer than usual. He reached for the bottle pouring another drink.

"You can stay here all night for all I care," I took the glass from him and swallowed it in one gulp. His eyes widen, he arched his brow in true Tony fashion.

"Kitten, usually the designated driver doesn't drink just so you know." He sounded totally sober, he'd been here at the bar for hours, I was sure that he'd be three sheets to the wind like he was the previous night when Rhodey had to come and get him.

"Maybe I don't care," I huffed. His whole body turned towards me, he eyed me up curiously before he noticed my puffy eyes.

"When?" He motioned for another glass from the bartender. I rolled my eyes, I'd rather talk to anyone about this to except him. I pursed my lips shaking my head side to side agitated.

"After lunch over a fucking text message." Tony let out what sounded like a soft growl. "He broke up with me through a damned text. Who the fuck even does that? Said he can't deal with it, it's too much pressure." Tony poured each of us a drink, I knocked it back swirling the empty glass on the bar top.

"He's an idiot," he didn't even touch his drink, just swished it around in his glass.

"No shit." I leaned back on the barstool putting my head in my hands. "I just don't get it, I thought... whatever I'm over it."

"Clearly your not," he gave me a sympathetic smile. "I think the two of us need some fun, whaddya say?"

"I'm not sleeping with you," I rolled my eyes at him, but the way he looked at me, he was genuinely offended.

"I didn't mean it like that... I wouldn't ... I'm not that guy anymore, Y/n. Hey, I thought I had forever too okay and just like everything else in my life ... " We sat in silence for a few minutes. I kept glancing at him out of the corner of my eye, he seemed bothered at my accusation. He pulled out his phone tapping away at the screen before putting it back in his jacket pocket. His fingers started to trace patterns on the counter and let out a defeated sigh.

"Tony, I'm sorry... today just isn't a good day, not even music made it any better."

"Come on," he grabbed my hand leading me down a hallway and up a few flights of stairs.

"Where are we going?" He was walking fast like he had a newfound purpose, the same walk he had racing into a newly designed suit of armor.

"To the roof," was all he said, I got my answer the second he opened the door, his helicopter had just landed.

"Seriously, I had to drive all the way into the city to pick you up when you could have just used this?" I glared at him annoyed.

"Technically I'm committing a crime, it's a no-fly zone, now shut up and get in." His lips twitched like he was holding back a smile.

"Tony seriously?!" I crossed my arms on my chest, glaring at him, though deep down his antics were still kind of amusing.

"Shut up and get in Y/n. We need some time away, don't worry about your car, I got someone coming to take it back to the Compound." For the first time in weeks he actually full-on smiled. "I'd take Rhodey with me but he's a pain in the ass, so is Steve and frankly I don't want to hang out with any of the others, but you... you're cool." He shrugged his shoulders like saying that wasn't a bigger deal than it really was. "I can stand you for long periods of time without you know... getting bored." He climbed into the helicopter holding out his hand to help me in.

"So what we're just leaving town right this second?" I ran my fingers through my hair annoyed and yet kind of excited.

"Yeah, why not?" He was actually smiling again, that big bright 'how much trouble can I get into' Stark smile.

"We don't have any clothes or anything," I scoffed at his idea.

"I'll buy some, now get in before I pull you in and I'm pretty sure that's classified as kidnapping." The smirk he was flashing my way always meant trouble, fun, but trouble.

******

We landed on the rooftop helicopter pad of the Palms Casino in Las Vegas met by a cadre of employees. Tony had been scribbling a list of things on a piece of paper during the flight, he handed it off to the concierge as they walked us to our penthouse suite.

"I'd like everything on that list delivered to the room. Oh and make sure there's plenty of..." he looked my way with his eyes scrunched up trying to remember. "What's the name of that swill you like so much? Lieninkragel, Lienenfragel...Leinenkugel that's it. Make sure there a case of that in the fridge, please. It doesn't matter the flavor she likes them all. Add a couple of bottles of my usual too." I stared at him with a dumbfounded look on my face.

"How...you remembered my favorite beer company?!”

  


"I may act like an asshole but I do have a pretty decent memory for trivial things. Besides you do a little happy dance," He imitated it with a slight exaggeration, arms up in the air swinging around in circles while his hips shook side to side, "when you see the delivery guy rolling up the driveway with the new seasonal flavors." He smirked opening a pair of large doors showing me the room I'd be staying in. "We need some fun seriously. I hope this is to your liking?" I spun around taking in the grandness of it all, smiling like a Princess. I ran and launched myself onto the bed sinking in the soft pillow-like mattress.

"Tony this is too much... is that... is that a hot tub on my balcony?" He chuckled knowing all this fancy shit wasn't really my thing.

"Yeah there's one in my room too, there's even a pool off the living room that hangs off the side of the balcony with a glass floor. You can see through to the city below. I know you like to swim," he ran his hands nervously through his hair, "you're always in the pool at home." He let out a little amused huff, "I think you're the only one that ever uses it too."

He grabbed my hand and off we went into the night. We wandered around the Strip, he pulled me around the city like we were teenagers away from our parents on our first road trip alone. The hurt both of us had been feeling, the pain of rejection, and feelings of inadequacies had disappeared the second we climbed into that helicopter. We smiled and laughed, cracking jokes about everyone on the team. Nudging shoulders to get the other one to see something in the distance. We rambled off ideas for upgrades in his suit, and ideas for my uniform, even some new decrete weapon attachments.

Tony suddenly flashed a cheeky smile, throwing his arm around my shoulders. He walked with cocky confidence like he had a destination in mind. We kept talking and walking until we wound up in front of the Bellagio Hotel Fountain. We leaned up against the metal railing watching the nightlife around the city.

"Why are we stopping?" I nudged his shoulder.

"Just wait," he looked at his watch grinning. He lifted up his hands as if he was presenting me with something, "Tada!" I'd known there was a show with the fountain but to see it in person was something. A mist formed along the water, music started playing through speakers, the water shot up and into the sky in coordinated dances, but he wasn't watching the show, he was watching me.

He'd been noticing all night, the way I still took in the little things, the simple things. After all these years, I'd never changed. How instead of looking or buying anything from the well-known name brand stores on the Strip my interest was in the little guy, the street vendors, the handmade items. He was humbled to see that even though my day had started out as utter shit and broken, that I still managed to smile and laugh.

The way I said please and thank you to the vendors as if they were royalty, asking if I could take pictures of their works. The stuff I really wanted but was too big to carry back to the hotel. It fascinated him that even though I should have been in shambles crying in a ball lying on my floor as he'd been, there I was next to him trying to make him feel better instead.

We made our way back to the hotel, I found a suitcase and piles of clothes folded on my bed, even a swimsuit. I was tired and exhausted, but that pool was calling out to me. I laughed at myself and slipped into the suit, casually walking through the living room, towel in hand. I didn't even see Tony sitting on the couch head in his hands. His hands dropped watching me walk passed humming a song.

He knew he'd heard it a hundred times before coming from my room but couldn't place the name of it. It was modern, not really his thing, but he knew I liked it. His eyes followed watching as I slipped into the pool. Marveled when I went under to get used to the coolness of the water, my hair slicked back against my skull. I swam to the edge of the pool, smiling watching the lights below.

He already knew in his mind, he was fucked, he was screwed longer than he cared to admit. The misery at the loss of Pepper a month prior replaced with something that felt like hope. He shook his head and sighed, 'too soon' he thought. She was a friend, she'd just gone through her own break-up, she wouldn't be a rebound, she wasn't going to be a distraction.

He wondered when he actually fell for her, was it before Pepper all those years ago? Was it tonight? Or was it the night she carried him up to her room so he could sleep without fear of breathing in the last hints of Pepper? He could remember more about her life and habits and hobbies than he could his own, her birthday forever stuck out in his mind the way one remembers Christmas.

***********

**Meanwhile Back at the Avengers Compound**

The team sat around the media room getting ready for movie night.

"Wait, where's Y/n? Isn't she back from getting Tony yet?" Steve asked looking around the room as if I'd magically appear at the sound of my name. Rhodey started laughing making everyone glance at him confused.

"My sources say they're on their way to Vegas," he shook his head annoyed, but even he saw it, the way we looked at each other when we didn't think anyone else was looking.

"Wait?" Bucky sat up from the couch in panic. "You do realize her boyfriend broke up with her today? You don't think, you don't think they're going to do anything stupid do you?" Nervous laughter filled the room.

"No, Y/n wouldn't, she's got a good head on her shoulders, drunk or not," Bruce smiled half-heartedly, but he wasn't so sure about Tony.

*************

Two weeks in Vegas flew by, the gambling, the food, the drinks, the shows. He didn't care that I wore jeans, band t-shirts, and sneakers into the swanky restaurants he took us to, he just enjoyed me being me as he always did. He'd wake up earlier than usual for him in the mornings, tried his hand at yoga with me out on the balcony.

He failed miserably, but he kept trying. He'd give up after a while and just lean on his elbow from the floor watching amused as I wound my body in ways that reminded him of a pretzel. The late nights spent beside the pool, he talked about everything, he said he found it oddly comforting being in my presence.

He lounged barefoot in jeans and a Motorhead t-shirt on a chair beside the pool on our last night in town, watching me float on my back listening to the Vegas nightlife far below us.

"You ready to go home?" His voice made it sound as if he was bored, but his eyes said otherwise.

"Not really, this ... this has actually been a lot of fun. I don't think I've gone on a vacation since I was in high school," the water was warm and soothing, close to putting me to sleep as I floated along without a purpose, not a trouble or care in the world.

"If you could go anywhere, anywhere in the world, if money wasn't a factor, where would you go?" I let out an amused laugh making ripples in the water around me.

"Why?" I stood up, head barely above the water, looking at him strangely, he wasn't one to ask random things without something in mind.

"Your birthday's coming up," he sat up flashing a soft smile.

"Tony seriously, don't. This was more than enough. I still can't get over the fact you remember my clothing sizes," I stuck my tongue out at him laughing.

"I have to, I design your armor remember," he chuckled softly tossing ice cubes at me in the pool.

I rolled my eyes smiling at him before splashing him with water. I swam to the far edge of the pool looking down below, humming the song that'd been stuck in my head since the night we arrived. I'd listened to it a thousand times before but since being here, it seemed to find new meaning.

"Kitten, what's the deal with the song? You've been humming it non-stop since we got here," he had a soft look in his eyes, they crinkled on the corners of his lids in a slightly happy sort of way.

I turned back to face him, my cheeks flushed seeing the way he was looking at me. I swam to the edge of the pool reaching out for my phone, he held it out towards me, our fingers briefly touching. I taped a few times on my phone hooking it up to the Bluetooth speakers hung through the balcony. The rifts of the song flooded the air, I let myself fall back into the water floating, singing along to the words.

_**When, when we came home** _

_**Worn to the bones** _

_**I told myself, "this could get rough"** _

**_And when, when I was off, which happened a lot_ **

**_You came to me and said, that's enough_ **

****

**_Oh I know that this love is pain_ **

**_But we can't cut it from out these veins, no_ **

****

**_So I'll hit the lights and you lock the doors_ **

**_We ain't leaving this room 'til we both feel more_ **

_**Don't walk away, don't roll your eyes** _

**_They say love is pain, well darling, let's hurt tonight_ **

****

**_When, when you came home_ **

_**Worn to the bones** _

_**I told myself, this could be rough** _

__

**_Oh, I know you're feeling insane_ **

_**Tell me something that I can explain, oh** _

__

**_I'll hit the lights and you lock the doors_ **

**_Tell me all of the things that you couldn't before_ **

**_Don't walk away, don't roll your eyes_ **

_**They say love is pain, well darling, let's hurt tonight** _

_**If this love is pain, well darling, let's hurt, oh tonight** _

__

**_So you hit the lights and I'll lock the doors_ **

**_Let's say all of the things that we couldn't before_ **

**_Won't walk away, won't roll my eyes_ **

**_They say love is pain, well darling, let's hurt tonight_ **

_**If this love is pain, then honey let's love tonight** _

__

His eyes drinking in the sight before him, the sweet melody of words rolling off my tongue as I floated eyes closed to the world around me

His eyes drinking in the sight before him, the sweet melody of words rolling off my tongue as I floated eyes closed to the world around me. The music struck a chord with him, it moved him in a way he couldn't understand. He stood up from the chair plodding fully clothed into the pool wading towards me, the song repeated on a loop.

I could feel the movement in the water as he advanced, I stood up watching him curiously. Tony looked so determined, yet shy, confident but unsure. He stopped moving to stand in front of me, inches from my face. A slight smile crept across his mouth, his eyes flickered to my lips. Before I could say a word, his lips were on mine, his hands cupping my face. I lost myself in that moment, the warmth of his lips, how strong yet gently he held on. I melted into that kiss, my hands wrapped around his neck. His hands trailing down under the water, fingertips gliding against my skin.

He moved forward in the pool, his hands landing comfortably on my thighs folding my legs around his waist as he strode through the water, waves crashing out around us the faster he moved. He stopped at the glass overlook of the pool pushing me against the wall. His lips trailing kisses along my jaw and down my neck.

I let my head fall back at his every touch, a moan escaped my lips as his fingers trailed up my sides. He ghosted his lips up my neck back to my mouth ravishing my lips again. It was heated and passionate, the intensity of his touch sending shivers up my spine. He pulled away panting for air, an embarrassed look on his face realizing what he'd just done.

"I'm sorry," he let go of me and tried to distance himself. "I ... I didn't mean... I got caught up in the song." He ran his hands through his hair, eyes looking every which way but towards me.

"Bora Bora," the words rushed out of my mouth. He looked at me mystified as the words floated around in his head.

"What?" He leaned against the wall across from me still trying to catch his breath.

"You asked me where I wanted to go... Bora Bora." My eyes must have looked wild as my chest heaved trying to recover from the kiss. I smiled meekly at him, subconsciously tucking a strand of hair that wasn't even out of place behind my ear. "I've always wanted to swim in that turquoise-colored water. Stay in a hut on stilts above the water, eat weird looking tropical fruits, spearfishing near the reefs. Lounge about in the sun, go snorkeling like a tourist, watch the sunsets from a beach on a blanket waiting for the stars to sparkly in the night sky," I rambled in a fit of nervous energy. I wanted to kiss him again and again.

"Bora Bora it is then," he smiled so sweetly at me it was hard to deny the feelings I'd pushed down long ago.

I swam across to him, leaning my back against his chest staring out into the Vegas night sky. He stood behind me body tensed, unsure of what to do, his mouth opened a few times but nothing came out. I tugged on his arms wrapping them around me, he finally let himself relax into me, resting his chin on my shoulder. We stayed like this for some time before retiring for the night to our separate rooms.

***********

I was packing up my things the next morning when his phone rang in the living room, he was waiting for word from the pilot as to when his private jet would be arriving at the Las Vegas airport.

"Tony," Rhodey's tone was that of concern, "what are you doing buddy?"

"Heading out of town actually," Tony let out a chuckle, his eyes looking towards my open bedroom door catching a glimpse of me bent over packing the suitcase.

"Mhm you're already out of town," Rhodey wasn't sure how to word what he needed to say.

"Yeah well, heading out of Vegas for somewhere else, what's up?" This was the happiest he'd sounded in weeks, making Rhodey wonder what exactly happened in Vegas.

"Have you seen the news or the paper this morning?" Tony could hear Steve and Bucky arguing in the background.

"No, actually I haven't kinda been trying a semi-off grid thing here Rhodes. Anyway, that's my other line gotta go. Taking Y/n on a well-deserved vacation for an early birthday present." Tony hung up the phone but curiosity got the best of him.

He flipped through the news outlets on his phone seeing photos flashing through every single one of them of the two of them kissing, holding each other in the pool the night before, pictures of him with his arm around my shoulders, gazing lovingly at me while we walk around the city.

"Son of a bitch," he groaned out, he was used to bad press, but now I was involved. He didn't give a shit what anyone thought of him, but it bothered him to no end what they were saying about me.

He was brought out of his thoughts by a knock at the door, it was the driver to take us to the airport. He was silent the whole drive, staring out the window, he didn't speak until we were on the jet and in the air.

  


"Uh I don't know how to say this but..." he was swirling the scotch he'd poured himself in a glass staring at it like it was the most interesting thing in the world. Like it held the answers to the Universe and more. He sat across from me on his jet, gazing out the window, unsure how to word it without upsetting me.

"I know," I spoke calmly leaning forward resting my hand on his knee.

"You know what exactly?" His eyes were pained as he looked at me.

"Natasha sent me a text this morning," I shrugged my shoulders and looked out the window.

"I didn't mean for that to happen, I didn't think..." his voice trailed off not sure how to say he enjoyed every second of that kiss but hated that it was now tainted by some jackass with a camera.

"It's cool, I swear. You got caught up in the moment. We're both broken and lonely and I was there." My brain was screaming out at me to tell him the truth, but how would that make me look?

I had been upset over a break-up when this whole trip started and here I was two weeks later realizing that I was never in love with my ex so much as I loved the idea of him, but the way my heart thumped against my chest sitting near Tony gave me my answer. The same answer it pounded in my chest the first time I'd met him years ago through Happy. Here I sat across from him on a plane to Bora Bora kicking myself in my ass for not saying anything before Pepper came along.

I curled up into my seat and tried to drift off to sleep leaving him watching me confused. I slept the whole flight, I was still asleep when we landed, he carried me to the waiting car, and again when we arrived at the resort.

He laid me on the bed and opened up the doors and windows letting in the cool night breeze. My eyes fluttered opened watching him lean against the door frame gazing out into the night sky listening to the ocean. My eyes fluttered opened watching him lean against the door frame gazing out into the night sky listening to the ocean

He was a month out of his relationship with her, he had to still be hung up and struggling, maybe the kiss was just I don't know. He turned and watched me intently in the dark. I sat up padding over to a chair just outside the bedroom door on a balcony that extended over the water.

"Are you ... are you alright Y/n?" His tone was slightly worried.

"No, actually I'm not," I sighed closing my eyes pulling my knees up to my chest hugging them close. Fuck it, get it out now and salvage the rest of the trip or agonize over it, that kiss meant more to me than anything.

"What's wrong, is it the pictures? We ... we could go home if you want? Or buy a farm and live in solitude for the rest of time, just tell me what's wrong? Was it me? I shouldn't have kissed you right?"

I had to shake my head listening to his voice, it was so unlike him. There was no sarcasm, no sass, no anger or malice, just pure concern, worry, and a bit of fear.

"I don't care about the pictures ... it's just ..." I trailed off groaning hating my brain. Why did I open my mouth in the first place?

"Just what, please, we're friends, let me help." His voice was so tender and kind it tugged at my heart.

"That's just it! I don't want to be friends!" I growled slamming my fist against my thigh.

"Oh ... okay we uh ... we can just go home them, I'll go ..." I turned my head to face him, tears in my eyes.

"How can someone so smart be so stupid?" I rolled my eyes looking up at the stars.

"What? What does my intelligence have to do with anything?" He stared wildly in my eyes mouth agape.

"Couldn't you see it after all these years, Tony?" There it was years of pent-up feelings I'd shoved down over and over boiling over the edge spilling out my mouth. "I've always been the one there to pick up the mess, patch you up, put out the flames, pick you up and put your drunk ass to bed. I was the one that was there after New York, I stayed awake with you every night when the nightmares hit in that stupid lab. When the panic attacks started, I was the one that talked you down. Jesus Christ how blind are you to not have seen me there in front of you the whole time and you... you chose Pepper?"

I stood up pacing around the balcony staring at the water below, leave it to me to get halfway around the world only to start a fight. I could see the fish swimming around the pilings that held up the bungalow in the moonlight. I sat down dipping my feet in the water swirling them around. Tony was silent but walked over sitting down next to me. He held out his hand as if he wanted me to shake it, I glared at him not grasping what exactly he was doing.

"Hi, my name's Tony Stark. We uh... we met a long time ago, I don't expect you to remember me, but I sure as hell remember you. I was a drunken emotional mess at the time, completely self-absorbed. I slept my way across the globe with too many women to remember, but you... I remember you and we never did anything other than a handshake and a few hugs over the years.

"The first time we met, you were introduced to me by my bodyguard Happy. See he was/is a great guy but you were his best and oldest friend. He didn't want us to meet at all but you were fresh out of the Academy, already secretly working for S.H.I.E.L.D. at the time, assigned to keep an eye on me. Happy knew how I was around beautiful women, it was the whole reason why he fought so hard against us meeting in the first place." He looked out over the water, dipping in his own feet next to mine, sitting so close his shoulder was rubbing against mine.

"We met outside Stark Industries headquarters. You wore a pair of faded blue jeans, a ripped hole in the left knee, the back pockets had an Iron Maiden and a Black Sabbath patch on them. You wore a heather grey tank top with a black hooded zip-up sweatshirt, the zipper was half up, your hands in the sweatshirt pockets. There was a silver necklace snug around your neck with a star charm on it. You fidgeted from foot to foot in a pair of black Chuck Taylors with pen doodles on the white rubbers of them.

"Your hair was in soft waves around your shoulders, and every time the wind blew, your hair would fly into your eyes, you'd just smile and tuck it behind your ears. You didn't wear any makeup, not that it mattered, you never needed to anyway. You were so smart and kept making fun of Happy with me. I shook your hand and you left me with a sweet girl next door kind of smile before you drove away in a 1971 dark purple Dodge Challenger blaring Shoot to Thrill by AC/DC, the very same car sitting in the garage right now."

"Happy could see the look on my face, he'd seen that look a thousand times before. That was the only time he'd gotten in my face about anything. He grabbed me by my shirt collar in full view of the public pulling me right into his face and threatened my life if I so much as thought about touching you. He didn't want to see you used and tossed aside like all the other women that came into my field of vision. So I tried to keep to the word I'd promised him, but the more I got to know you, even after finding out you worked for S.H.I.E.L.D.

"I had to keep stuffing down those feelings. I tried to talk to Happy about it a few times, told him I'd fallen in love, but he didn't believe me. He thought I was just bored. I watched you day in and day out in the lab, the way you moved, stuck out your tongue when deep in thought working. All the while Happy watched glaring just itching for me to break my word, but I didn't. I wanted to so many times, but in truth, at that point, Happy was my only friend. Everyone else around me was just there for the money, the parties, they didn't give a shit about me. Not like you and Happy."

I shook my head in disbelief. The tears streaming down my face while staring at him, I tried to speak but he just put a finger to my mouth and shook his head.

"Don't get me wrong, a part of me did love Pepper or maybe just loved the idea of her, but deep down, way deep down in that dark dank place even I hate to admit exists. She was my distraction from what I really wanted all along ... you Kitten. I had to sit back all those years and watch as you risked your life along with the rest of us fight after fight, not being able to just grab you and hold you tight, kiss your pain and sorrow away. I showed my love for you in the only way I could, your tech, your gear. I thought of everything that could possibly go wrong and fit something to counter it within your gear. I mourned when my time with Pepper was over but more often I thought of you, only you." He shook his head and went back to staring at the stars.

I got up and walked towards the speaker system, fiddling with my phone, letting the song waft through the speakers, I tugged off my shirt walking back outside, wiggled out of my jeans, and slipped into the water. It was waist-high from where I stood below Tony. He watched me with an amused look on his face.

"You must hate me after all these years, never telling you? I told the world I was Iron Man no problem, but admit to you how I felt..." He flashed a sad smile, splashing water at me with his foot.

"The Tony then very well could have gotten bored with me and then what? We wouldn't be where we are right now, would we?" His head bounced from side to side as he thought about it, he hated it when I was right.

"You're probably right," he sighed watching me swim around in the moonlight, the second he blinked he was hit smack in the face with my bra. He pulled it off giving a puzzled look, his eyes shot between the bra he held in his hand and me in the water. "Does this mean you forgive me?"

His eyes grew wide, a sly smirk crept across his face watching me shrug my shoulders floating in the water. He stood up pulling off his t-shirt and jeans, jumping in the water with me. He swam towards me grinning, hands reaching out for me, latching onto my hips pulling me in close. His lips crashing to mine with greater intensity than before.

Tony's lips were so warm against my skin in the cool night air. His hands and fingers roamed over every inch of skin. I wrapped my legs around his waist, my core rubbing against his excitement making him groan into the kiss. The waves splashing around us with the breeze, my body kept knocking into him creating friction that was driving him crazy.

His mouth grazed my bottom lip as he nipped and nibbled it. He laughed, I could see the smirk on his face lit up between the moonlight and the arc reactor in his chest. Tony's hands trailed down my sides delighted noticing nothing but bare skin.

"Well then, someone's a dirty girl," his voice lowered an octave, the throaty laugh rumbled in his chest.

He unlatched my legs from around him turning me around pulling my back into his chest. One of his arms rested across my chest massaging my breasts, the other slinking his fingertips in a teasing manner down my body. His calloused fingers teasing my entrance, running up and down before thrusting two fingers in. I leaned my head back into his, letting out a moan. He couldn't help himself, his lips attacking my neck. Every time I let out a moan he nipped hard, suckling the same spot at the crook of my neck.

Two fingers soon turned into three, pumping and thrusting inside, while his thumb rubbed my clit. I tried to move my hips in rhythm with him but he wouldn't let me, his other hand wrapped around my abs holding me tight against him. I could feel the tightening building, the slight sensitive jolts running through me. He could feel me starting to tighten around his fingers, he pushed harder and faster.

The orgasm crested over me sending shockwaves through my body, I struggled to move against him. The moans that left my mouth crying out his name carried away on the waves crashing around us. My walls clenching tightly around his fingers as he kept pumping them in and out. When I finally stopped struggling to move riding out my bliss, he rubbed his thumb on my sensitive clit, chuckling as I squirmed against him.

"Not... fair," I moaned but oh did it feel so good.

"Why not, you still enjoyed it," he laughed watching me as I swam towards the ladder hanging off the balcony. "Awe come on," he pouted splashing water up at me.

"Fuck off Stark," I laughed, "I want to return the favor but I can't breathe underwater so either stand there and pout or get up here."

He sped as fast as he could through the water, practically jumping up the ladder before he scooped me up carrying me to the bed. He towered above me, eyes scanning every inch of me, his fingers delicately touching every scar. He frowned remembering every fight they came from.

"Stop it, I know what you're thinking, just stop." He sighed and smiled, he rolled onto the bed next to me.

I sat up and knelt next to him biting my lip, he grinned up at me knowingly wiggling his brows. I pulled my hair off to the side leaning over him cupping his balls in my palm gently rolling them in my hand. His head fell back on the pillow, a moan rumbled in his throat. My other hand stroking up and down his thick shaft. I wet my lips and popped his tip in my mouth like a lollipop, rolling and flicking my tongue around his head.

"Oh fucking hell don't stop," he groaned.

I popped him back in my mouth, hollowing my cheeks sucking all of him in, he jerked his body at the sensation, he dribbled a little down my throat making me laugh. I bobbed up and down his hard shaft swirling my tongue as I moved. His hands held onto the sheets, his knuckles white in the tight hold.

He wanted so bad to buck his hips in unison but he remembered the way he tortured me in the water. The moans leaving his mouth made me snicker, the vibrations of the laugh, while he was in my mouth, drove him over the edge. He tried scrambling up the bed and away from me.

"Nope, no, nope, not tonight, I'll save the watching you swallow for another time." He pushed my head away from his cock clenching his jaw watching the movements of my mouth on it. "I want to watch you ride me," he smirked watching as I crawled on top of him, holding tight to his cock sliding myself over it.

Say what you will about Tony's ego but he's got the body parts to match it. My head fell back and my eyes closed adjusting to his size, I groaned when he teasingly thrust up into me. The swiftness of it made me hiss, I dug my nails into his chest rocking my hips back and forth letting out a moan every time his dick hit my g-spot.

He gripped tightly onto my hips, fingertips sunk into the plump flesh of my ass. That lustful look in his eyes, the way he bit his bottom lip watching me move on top of him. I could feel him start to tense beneath me. I rocked and swirled my hips, it felt like he was getting so close. His phone rang from the table beside the bed, I shot him a glare.

"Don't you dare Anthony Edward Stark!" He reached for the phone answering putting it on speaker.

"Yeah ... mmm ... hello," his voice was breathy, I rocked my hips hard into him, he let out a soft moan.

"Tony? You ... uh alright?" It was Happy, I rolled my eyes, Tony just smirked rubbing his thumb on my clit hard enough for me to let out a squeak of pleasure.

"Never better Happy," he groaned, "what can I do for you?" The troublesome smile he flashed.

"What's going on with you and Y/n Tony? The news is running those pictures non-stop claiming you got married in Las Vegas in a drunken stupor." Happy sounded like the angry older brother he'd always acted like since we were kids growing up next door to each other.

"First off ... oh shit ... " Tony clenched his jaw, his eyes wide smiling at me in pure pleasure. "I didn't get married in Vegas, two ... fuuucking hell ... you've known how I've felt about her for years buddy, shit ... shit ... shit," I leaned over biting and sucking on his neck, "fuck ... just like that yeah ... but you didn't believe me."

"Tony, what's going on? Are you in some kind of trouble? Do I need to get the team ready?" Happy's voice racing with worry. Tony bucked his hips thrusting up wildly and erratic making me moan. "Is that ... was that Y/n?"

"I swear to all that is holy Hapaho (holy hell did he hate that nickname given when we were younger), you send anyone after us and I'll kick your ass up and down the block just like when we were kids, now shut up and stop ruining my vacation." I grabbed his phone hanging up on Happy tossing it in the chair across the room glaring at him while he laughed. "You are such a jackass," I chided him.

He grinned up at me in a sneaky way, flipping me over before I could blink an eye. His hands rest on either side of my head, his hips slowly rocking. He dipped his head down towards mine devouring my lips in a kiss. I wrapped my legs around his waist crossing them at the ankle squeezing tight, the groan that escaped his mouth was just savage. He was done playing coy games, his eyes hungry.

"Tony," I gasped, "harder."

My hips rocking and thrusting into his, harder and faster with every pump. His lip curled up in sinful gratification. I slipped a hand in between us rubbing and stroking my clit. The pleasure erupting through me hit like a ton of bricks, the orgasm crashing over me sending pulsing shocks through my body. He groaned as my walls tightened around him, he couldn't handle it anymore hearing me moan out his name a second time tonight.

He straightened his body all his pressure on his knees, he grabbed my legs throwing them both over his left shoulder, holding my thighs flush against him he pounded into me as if the world was ending. All coherent thought escaped my mind as another orgasm shook through my body. It only ignited a fury in him chasing his own release hearing me scream out his name.

"TONY!" My hands grabbing onto the pillow behind my head, the fabric balled up in my fists as I yelled out in delight. "Fuck fuck fuck."

The sounds of skin slapping against skin drowned out the sounds of the waves through the open door. His fingers dug harshly into my skin as he bellowed out his release, his whole body rocking in jagged thrusts.

"Fuck I love you!" His voice rang out in the night air. He let go of my thighs pulling out smirking at the pool of himself dripped out of me onto the sheets. He scanned my thighs accessing the damage left by his touch. He leaned over me kissing each individual indentation left by his nails before laying down next to me pulling me into his side, wrapping an arm around me.

"I meant what I said." His fingers stroking their way through my hair. "I love you, think you can handle that?"

"More than you can imagine," I smiled placing a kiss on his chest.

"So ... when do you wanna go home?" He laughed already assuming the answer as he kissed the top of my head.

"In a week... or two... three tops, we have to save the world occasionally I suppose, you know the others can't do shit without us." It made us both laugh.

"Well if the next couple of weeks are anything like tonight... might have to soundproof the bungalow, and the cars, your room in the quarters, maybe even the gym." I let out a soft contented sigh drifted off to sleep wrapped in the arms of Tony Stark.


End file.
